Comments on: 17 Unbeatable Ways to Create a Peaceful, Relaxed Workday http://tametheweb.com/2008/02/06/17-unbeatable-ways-to-create-a-peaceful-relaxed-workday/ Libraries, Technology and People Wed, 07 Jan 2009 23:52:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: John Kirriemuir http://tametheweb.com/2008/02/06/17-unbeatable-ways-to-create-a-peaceful-relaxed-workday/comment-page-1/#comment-809 John Kirriemuir Wed, 06 Feb 2008 19:00:37 +0000 http://tametheweb.com/2008/02/06/17-unbeatable-ways-to-create-a-peaceful-relaxed-workday/#comment-809 Cutting out meetings is essential. My last two - employed by someone else - jobs were in UK academia, where meeting culture tends to be rife. A ridiculous proportion of my - and other people's - time was taken up in meetings. What became apparent is that the only people who enjoyed these meetings, and pushed for them, were those segment of academics who liked the sounds of their own voices. The rest of us would rather do something useful. I didn't get half as much done as I'd have liked in those two jobs. So I went self-employed as a researcher and consultant 7 or so years ago now. I get a lot more done, within a normal day. Clients who are happy to briskly communicate on email I retain; those who prefer meetings and pointless telephone conferences get quickly dropped. The next time you're in a meeting, listening to someone drone on, list the things you'd rather be doing that would be more productive. Food for thought. Cutting out meetings is essential. My last two - employed by someone else - jobs were in UK academia, where meeting culture tends to be rife. A ridiculous proportion of my - and other people’s - time was taken up in meetings. What became apparent is that the only people who enjoyed these meetings, and pushed for them, were those segment of academics who liked the sounds of their own voices. The rest of us would rather do something useful.

I didn’t get half as much done as I’d have liked in those two jobs. So I went self-employed as a researcher and consultant 7 or so years ago now. I get a lot more done, within a normal day. Clients who are happy to briskly communicate on email I retain; those who prefer meetings and pointless telephone conferences get quickly dropped.

The next time you’re in a meeting, listening to someone drone on, list the things you’d rather be doing that would be more productive. Food for thought.

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